Button-carding machine.



No. 760,893. Y PATBNTBD MAY 2 1904..

V A; J. MEETZ. BUTTON GARDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 18, 1903.

K0 MODEL. I 6 SHEETS-SHEET QvmQMQ I M attoznugq m: nim'ms PETERSLCL. womumq, WASHINGTON, u 5:,

No. 760,893, v j 'PATENTED MAY 24 1904.". 4

' 4 A. J. MEETZ.

\ BUTTON GARDING MACHINE.

APPLIOATIOE FILED AUG. 18, 1903.

N0 MODEL. 68HEETS-SH-EET 2.

PATBNTED MAY 24, I904.

A. J. MEE'fZ. BUTTON GARDING MACHINE.

4 APPLICATION rILnn 5116,18, 1903. I 31.110 MODEL.

6 SHEETS-SEEET 3.

THE NORRIS PETERS co, PNoYoun-qm msnmajrgn', n c.

No. 760,893 'PATENTBD MAY '24, 1904;

A. J. MEETZ.

BUTTON GARDINGMAGHINE, APPLICATION nun we. 18, 190's.-

no 10mm. e sums-sum 4.

'No. 760,893. PATENTED MAY 2'4, 1904.. BUTTON GARD ING MACHINE.

APgLmATIon FILED m. 1a, 1903. .110 MODEL. 7 e SHEEN-SHEET 5.

3] u n van for,

PATBNTED MAY 24, 1904.,

A. J, MEETZ. 1. BUTTON OARDING MAGHINE.

APPLIOATION IIIJE-D AUG. 18, 1903.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

N0 MODEL.

7 UNITED STATES Patented May 24, 1964.

PAT NT O FICE.

ALBERT J. MEETZ," F DAVENPORT, IOWA", nssienon OF ONE-HALF TO JAMES A. MUNRO, or DAVENPORT, rown.

BUTTQN-CARDING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Pateht No. 760,893, dated May 24, 1904.

Application filed A11gust 18, 1903. Serial No 169,9I6- 1N0 model) I i To all 11/71/0171 it may concern.-

, Be it known that'I, ALBERT J. Mnnrz, of Davenport, in the county of Scott and State of Iowa, have invented certain'new and useful.

Improvements in Button-Carding Machines; and I hereby declare that the following is a full,elear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying draw ings, which form part of this specification.

The present invention is an improvement in machines for carding eyelet-buttons-a'fia,

- buttons which are perforated for the attaching-threads; and the object of the present invention' is to provide a machine which will automatically select the buttons from a mass in a hopper, arrange them in proper order upon a card, and attach them thereto by means of threads, each button being separately at-' tached, and by which the cards will be automatically fed into position to receive the buttons and be automatically fed forward, so that the buttons may be attached thereto in rows in proper sequence, all the operations necessary to select the buttons and arrange them face uppermost on the cards in rows, attach them to the cards, and deliver the filled cards from the machine being performed automatically by the a mechanisms hereinafter described and illustrated.

The invention I do not consider restricted to the specific constructions and arrangements of pa'rtsshown in the drawings, the same'being the best now known to me; but the inven ---through the card-feeding and button-sewing ,mechanlsm. Flg. 51s a section on l1ne-5 5,

Fig. 4, looking down.

Fig. 6 is a sectional v1ew showing the needle spindles and twlsters. Fig. 1s a sectlonal view taken at right angles to Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a plan view of the needle-frame. Fig. 9 is a plan view of the twisters. Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the alinement-b'ar.

Fig. 4 is an'enlarged section cam-ring in needle-frame. Fig. 11 isadetail showing method of rotating the twisters. Fig. 12 is a view of the needles. Fig. 13 is a view showing needles carrying down the thread. Fig. 14 is a view showing the thread twisted and ready to be drawn up by the needles. Fig. 15 is a sectional view showing mechanism for dropping the cards; is a view showing mechanism for operating Fig. 17 is a view showing the mechanism for properly facing the buttons. I Figs. 18 and 19 are sectional views of the facing mechanism.

In said drawings, A is a hopper, in which the buttons are placed in mass and from which they pass through a spout a into a chute a, through which they drop in front of the button-feeding plunger C. This chute a is intended to be kept continuously filled with buttons lying flatwise therein, and any oversupply of buttons to said chute are carried back into the hopper by means ofthe elevator-belt a operated in the spout a", as shown, said belt being driven by pulley a and belt a from pulley a, on the main shaft B, which is suitably journalcd in the framework of the machine, and it may be driven by belt-pulleys 6 on one end thereof, from any suitable source B by means of pinions c '0n the shaft 0, which i is adapted to mesh with the tooth-segment B on the shaft B, the rate of proportion of the pinion 0 and the segment B being such that the shaft 0 will be rotated four times by the segment. Said segment B is semicircular, and the remainder of the clrcle is completed by a smooth-surface segment B which 1s adapted to engage a notched part 0 at theside of pinion C and prevent the shaft a rotating while the pinion 0 and segment B are out of mesh. The proportion of, the pinion e and segment B may be vaned; accordlng to the number of buttons to be arranged 1n a row on a card. In the machine shown, four buttons are to be in a row. Consequently the proportion of the pinion and segment is four to one.

For each revolution of shaft 0 a buttonZ is;

Fig. 16

fed forward onto a card 2, which lies in position beside the lower end of the shaft 0, the buttons passing underneath the needle-frame hereinafter referred to. The cards z are fed upward from a container D, (see Figs. 1 and 4,) which contains a stack of cards superimposed one above the other, the lowermost card being supported on slides (Z, which are movable toward or from each other and are suspended on rocking levers D D pivoted on brackets D attached to the side of the container D. On the upper end of these levers are pivoted selectors d which move oppositely to the slide d (1, so that when the latter move forward the selectors move inward. The selectors are adapted to separate the lowermost card from the superimposed cards and support the superimposed cards when the slides d cl move outward, thus permitting the lowermost card to drop to the .bottom of the container in a position to be ejected from the container by the feed-slide E, hereinafter referred to.

The lever D is provided with a depending arm D, which extends below the bottom of the container D and-is connected by a bar D with the lower end of a rocking lever D, the upper end of which is pivotally connected to the lower end of the lever D, so that by oscillating bar D the slides d 61 will be simultaneously moved in or out, the slides being normally held in their innermost position by means of a spring D, attached to bar D and to a fixed point on the frame, as indicated in Fig. 15.

The lowermost card H is fed forward from the container by means of areciproeating slide E, which slide is operated in one direction by means of a rack-bar E, which meshes with a segment e on a shaft 6, on which shaft is a second segment 6 which is engaged at intervals by a segment f on a shaft f, which is operated step by step from the shaft K, as follows: On the shaft f is a six-toothed ratchet f which is engaged by the lower end of a bar f, the upper end of which lies adjacent to the shaft K and is adapted to be engaged in each rotation of said shaft by lug K thereon, by which the bar f is depressed and imparts a rotation on notch of one tooth of the shaft f by the ratchet f*. The bar f is retracted by means of a spring f, as shown. Thetoothed ratchet f* on each side of the frame when rotated pushes forward a rodf with a cam-face f 8 on its forward end, each cam-face supporting the ends of a bar f which is for the purpose of keeping the buttons in proper alinement as they are fed in by the feeding mechanism. The cam-faces on the rods elevate the bar f sufficiently to permit a row of buttons to pass thereunder as the card is pushed forward to receive another row of buttons. When the row of fastened buttons has passed beyond the bar f the latter will fall by gravity behind said row of attached buttons and be ready 'cards.

to aline the next row of buttons. Helical springs are provided to return the said camrods to their former position.

During each complete rotation of shaftf segment f is brought into mesh with segment 0 and imparts partial rotary motion to the latter sufficiently to cause segment a to engage rack E and move slide E forward suffieient to eject the lowermost card from the container over the shaftf, where it will be engaged by pin-wheelsf on said shaft f, the pins on the periphery of said wheel engaging the side edge of the card and feeding. them forward properly and exactly. When the segmentf disengages segment 0 a spring E retracts rack-bar E and the slide E. In this manner the cards are fed properly forward and at the proper time. During the time that the segmentsf and c are in mesh there are no pins in engagement with the card, the peripheries of wheels f which are at that time beneath the card, being clear from the pins. This enables the incoming card to push the forward card ahead more or less, as may be necessary, in accordance to variations in the length of the card, and this variation will occur between the third and fourth rows of buttons on the In the machine shown each will have six rows of buttons, and therefore the first and last rows of buttons on the card will be equally spaced from the adjacent ends thereof, and any inequality of distances between the rows will come between the third and fourth rows, where it will be most convenient to sever the cards when it is desired to sell buttons by the dozen.

On the shaft f, adjacent to the ratehetf", is secured a lug or arm f, which after the slide E has been retracted by the spring E, engaged with the pushrod D moves the latter backward. The outer end of this pushrod engages a bell-crank lever D", which is pivoted to move horizontally, and the other arm of said lever engages with lover I) and rocks the latter when bar D is pushed back, as described, thereby operating the slides (1 cl and the retainers (Z so as to release the lowermost card and permit it to drop down into position to be fed forward by the slide E on its next positive movement.

When four buttons have been fed inward in a row over the card, as indicated in Fig. 5, and beneath the needles, the shaft 0 comes to a rest, and then the needle-frame is actuated after the threads are made; but before the wheels contact with the buttons the attachingthreads are severed.

I prefer to describe the thread feeding and severing mechanism before describing the action of the needles in sewing the buttons to the card.

Behind the needle-frame is a spool-holder, in which a series of spools H, carrying the thread, are placed, there being one spool carrying thread for each button in a row or for ..each needle-spindle. The threads it are ledthrough openings'in the frame H in rear of or above the row of buttons, and at the proper time, which may be while the buttons are being fed forward, the threads are cut by: the

feeders and drawn inward over the underly ing buttons to be attached to the card.

Each thread-fingerconsists of a stationary finger z and a movable finger i, the former being fixed to the inner end offa reciprocating frame I, working horizontally just above the button-card, while the movable fingers are of thethreads in the apertures in the plate H;

but when the frame I moves inward the fingers are closed by the springs 2' and catch the threadsand pull the latterforward over the buttons until the-lugs i strike cam i attached to another fixed point on the frame, as shown in Fig. 5, which, opens the thread-feeders and they release the threads, the frame I remain:

ing in this retracted position until the needles havesewed the buttons to the card and are raised out of the way, whereupon the threadfeeders are moved forward to engage and draw over fresh lengths of threads to attach the succeeding row of buttons to the card.

The threads aresevered at the proper moment by suitable actuating means. As shown, it is accomplished by means of scissors attached to the front plate H of the spool-frame above the thread.

One member of each pair of scissors has its upper end pivoted to a bar ,7", the other member, j, of the scissors having its upper end pivoted to a bar J. These bars J are pivotallyconnected to a slotted lever v so that-when onexbar is moved to the left the other will be moved to the right, and in this manner the scissors are opened and closed.

The upperbar-jis moved at proper'times by means of a c'amj on the periphery of a wheel j, mounted on a counter-shaft K, which is driven between seats K K from a shaft K parallel to-shaft B, and which is actuated at the proper time by the segment B which meshes with a pinion K" on shaft K after it has disengaged the pinion. c therelative pro-' portion of the segment B and pinion B being one to four, so that the shaft K is turned on the gear K, so as to hold shaft K still while shaftc is operating. It'willthus be observed that the shaft c'makes four revolutions and then remains idle while the sh aft K is making one revolution.

The frame-l'is reciprocated at the proper time by means of a cam I on the shaft K, which works in a cam-frame 1 connected to the upper end of the lever I, fulcrumed on a suitable fixed point on the frame, the lower end being connectedto frame I, as shown in Fig. 4.

The needle-frame (see Figs. 6 and 7) inthe machine, as shown, has four spindles L, which are pressed downward by springs L, and each has a pair of needles Zon its lower end, which needles are set apart a distance corresponding to the diametrical distanceapart'ofthe holes in the button.

The several spindles are provided with in- .termeshing pinions L so that they can be rotated pivotally and simultaneously. The pinion L on the outermost spindle is adapted to be rotated at the proper time by'means of a segment M on a vertical shaft M, which is driven by bevels M K from the shaft K.

' The segment M need give but a partial rotation to the spindles, sufficient to enable the needles to find the holes in the buttons; A fourth -revolution of the spindle will ordinaril'y be sufficient for this purpose, as hereinafter explained. After the spindles have been rotated in this manner'they are locked from further rotation by means of asmooth plate i on the segmentM engaging a lockingplate L on the outermost pinion L spindles L are arranged vertically and in axial alinement within a reciprocating frame N,

. which is upheld normally by means of springs N, but are depressed at proper times by means of cams N on shaft K, which are adapted to engage the upper end ofthe frame Nat the proper time and depress the latter'with the spindle.

Upon the initial depression of the frame The the needles L contact lightly with the buttons,

as the springs L ordinarily exertbut very little downward pressure thereupon, and during its light contact of the needles with the buttonthe spindles arep'artially rotated, as

'ence to Fig. 12, are notched in their lower ends and are arranged with the notches parallel and in alinement with the thread overlying the buttons, and as the needles descend they catch the threads in these notches and carry them on down to the buttons, the threads being simultaneously severed by the scissors and released by the thread-feeders, so that the threads are cut with the needles as they find the buttonholes. The frame N is then further depressed, so that the needlesperforate the card and carry the thread ends down through the button and cards, as indicated in Fig. 13.. The ends of the threads being carried through the cards by the needles come into position to be engaged by the twisters O, which are spring-fingers, the upper ends of which are hooked, as shown at 0, and are guided in cam-shaped slots n in plates P, underlying the card. (See Fig. 9.) The ends of the thread which are brought down by the needles de pend over the card in the form of a staple, and while the needles are thus depressed the twisters O are given a semi-axial rotation, and they catch the depending ends of the threads and carry them around, so that the thread brought down by one needle is carried over and led against the opposite needle in position to be engaged by a notch Z in the side of said needle, and when the needles rise the ends of the thread guided by these notches are pulled back and up through the card and needle and button, as indicated in Fig. 14, the machine operating to first cut the thread, then carry both ends of the thread through opposite ends ofthe needle down through the card, lap the depending ends of the thread under the card, and pull the end of the thread up through the card and buttons in the holes opposite to that to which it passed and bound, or, in other words, one needle carries down one end of the thread and pulls up the opposite end of the thread.

It will be observed by reference to Fig. 12 that the needles are provided with notches Z in their bottoms, by which they are enabled to engage and hold the length of thread in position on the buttons while moving the latter into place and finding the holes therein, and they are also provided on their sides with notches Z by which they engage theopposite end of the thread and pull the latter upward as they rise.

The thread loopers or twisters O are preferably mounted on rotatable studs O, journaled in plate 0 fixed to the stationary part of the frame, and these studs have on their lower ends small intermeshing pinions O, by which they are simultaneously and similarly rotated. These twisters are rotated at the proper moment to the proper extent by means of a segment m on the lower end of shaft M, which is adapted to engage the nearest pinion 0 at the proper time and impart the desired degree of movement thereto and therethrough to all the others, and then a lockingplate m on segment on engages the corresponding locking-plate 0 on the adjacent spindle L and holds the twisting fingers stationary until they are to be again operated. The testing-fingers 0 after the needles have ascended are automatically drawn back to normal position by means of a spring 0, (see Fig. 6,) which spring is arranged to rotate the said fingers in an opposite direction to the positive motion imparted to them by segment m. To enable the fingers to be thus drawn back, the locking-plate m is provided with a recess or notch m at the point in its periphery which will come opposite plate 0" after the needles have ascended, and when this notch comes opposite the plate 0" the spring operates to return said fingers to normal position.

The cam 12 may be so shaped as to give a slight dwell to the needles after they have descended to the buttons, but before they have entered the cards, or I have also shown in the drawings a device by which even should the cam continue to press the frame downward the needles will be momentarily suspended in their downward movement with the frame until they have found the buttons eyes and are in position to proceed with the operation of sewing the buttons to the card, as described.

By reference to Fig. 6 it will be seen that each spindle L is provided with a pin L near its lower end, and surrounding the spindle at this point is a cam-ring Q, which is provided with a gradual cam Q, with which the pin L contacts just as the needles reach the buttons, and as the spindles are turned the pins L ride up on the cams Q and uphold the spindles thereon, although the frame N may be still descending, the cams Q being so proportioned as to compensate the spindles for the descent of the frame, and thus give the needles time to find the eyes of the buttons before they are forced downward through the gear.

It is essential in this class of machines that the buttons should all face alike. The buttons are ordinarily made flat on their under surfaces and recessed or chamfercd on their upper surfaces or centered, as it is commonly called, to present a neater appearance. They are fed into the chute (6 indiffercntly and may come to the bottom thereof upside down. In the latter case it is necessary that they shall be faced upward before they reach the card, and this is accon'iplishod by the following mechanism: Between the chute a and the card is located the button-facing device. This comprises a block R, which is pivotally mounted in the upper end of a yoke 0 which is supported on a pitman 7', attached to the crank on a shaft S, on which is loosely mounted a pinion S, driven by an intermediate gear S from a pinion ,0 on shaft 0. The block R is provided with an aperture R, which when the block is in its lowermost position forms a part of the feed-channel for the buttons between the chute a, and the card, the buttons being injected into this aperture into the block R by the plunger C. The block R is extended normally in its lowermost position and the shaft S stopping with the crank when the block is in such position, and the block R is held against rotation in the yoke r normally by means of a spring R", which bears against the flat surfaces of the block. The pinion S, as stated, is loose on the shaft S and operates on a hub s, and to this hub is fixed a disk s, which projects against the side of pinion S, and on this disk is pivoted a clutch-arm s", which is adapted when its upper end is depressed to have its lower end. engage corresponding notches s in the pinion S and hub s and lock the two together, so that the shaft S will be rotated once; but in place of one rotation, however,

the clutch-arm s is disengaged from the pinion by means of a cam-spring S (see Fig. 18,) so that the shaft S stops, as stated, after one revolution, with the block R in its lowermost position f The clutch-arm is tripped -When-' aperture R sufliciently' to allow lever T to throw the clutch into operation; but if a button comes into block R upside down the feeder againrises into the center of the button and permits spring T to depress levers K 'and throw the clutch 5* into position to lock the hub s and pinion S together, whereupon the shaft 'S makes one rotation and then stops, as described, and through its rotation theyoke r of the block R is reciprocated. During this reciprocation the block R is invertedor turned over by reason of a pinion r on one end of the block R meshing with a'fixed rack r opposite the frame; This pinion r is ratcheted to the shaft of the block,so that it turns the block R during its ascent, and on the descent of the yoke and block the pinion ratchets on the -block and the latter descends inan inverted position, bringingthe button back face uppermost imposition to be placed face uppermost ,on the card. Thus whenever a buttoncomes into the block upside down the clutch is tripped and the parts caused to bring the button into right position. Thus every button that will be carded will be carded face uppermost.

The operation of the several parts have been described in detail in connection with the several mechanisms composing the machine, and, briefly, the operation is as follows:' The buttons Z are placed in the hopper and descend through the chute a, from which they are ejected successively insets of four by means 7 of the spindle O, at which time the needleframe is raised, and during this same time the thread-feeders are moved forward and grasp threads and pull out a proper lengthof same over the four buttons just fed in; Then while shaft C is stopped and the feeding of the but- 4 tons ceases the needle-frame descends,the needles catching the threads, which are simulta- .neously severed as they descend, and after the needles first lightly touch the buttons they are.

given a slight rotary movement sufficient to enable them to find the holes in' the buttons, and

after they have found the holesin the buttons explainedabove;

and brought them into exact'alinement the,

frame carries the needles through the card, taking the ends of the severed threads through the buttons and card. Then the thread-twisters turn and carry the ends of the thread away from the needle which brought it down over j against the opposite needle in position to be cut by thecrochet-hook in the side of said needle. The'needles then ascend and pull the end of the thread up through the card and eye of the button and the second returnof the thread through the card series and tie sufficiently strong-to securely hold the button in place without any actual tying of the thread.

I have referred to thread herein because I prefer to use thread; but obviously light or wire equivalent of ordinary thread.

, The explanationof the button-turning device bywhich the buttons are all faced upward beforethey reach the card is sufficiently I do not wish to limit myself to the speciiic combination or construction of parts herein shown and described unless the same shall be specifically described in the claims.

' Having thus described my invention,

claim 1. In a machine for carding eyelet-buttons,

the combination of means for carrying opposite ends of a thread through adjacent eyes of a button and through the card, means for crossing the threads under the card and means for bringing the ends of the thread back through the opposite holes, substantially as described. t

2. In a button-machine for carding eyelet buttons, the combination of mechanism for feeding the buttons, means for feeding the card, meansfor carrying opposite ends of thread through adjacent eyes of a button and through the card, means for crossing the threads under the card and means for bringing the ends of the thread back through the opposite-holes, substantially asdescribed;

3. In a button-carding machine, the combi nation of mechanism for feeding buttons, mechanism for feeding the cards, a pair of reciprocating needles adapted to simultaneously carry the ends of a piece of thread through opposite eyelets of the button and through the card, means for'crossing the endsof the thread beneath the card, and engaging the ends of the thread with the opposite needles whereby said ends are brought up through the card and button, substantially as specified.

4. In a button-carding machine, the combination of a reciprocating needle-holder, a pair of needles attached thereto adapted to engage the thread and carry the ends thereof simultaneously through, the eyes of a button and through the'card, said needles also having notches or hooks near their lower ends adapted ing the end of the thread brought down by one needle over to the notch of the opposite needle, whereby said end is carried upward through the card when the needle ascends, substantially as described.

5'. In a machine for carding eyelet-buttons, the combination of means for carrying opposite ends of a thread through adjacent eyes of a button and through the card, means for crossing the threads under the card and means for bringing the ends of the thread back through the opposite holes; with means for feeding the cards beneath the needles, means for feeding buttons on the card beneath the needles, and means for feeding lengths of thread between the needles and buttons prior to the descent of the needles, substantially as described. 6. In a button-carding machine, the combinationof a reciprocating needle-holder, apair of needles attached thereto adapted to engage the thread and carry the ends thereof simultaneously through the eyes of a button and through the card, said needles also having notches or hooks near their lower ends adapted to pull threads upward, and means for carrying the end of the thread brought down by one needle over to the notch of the opposite needle, whereby said end is carried upward through the card when the needle ascends;

with means for feeding the cards beneath the needles, means for feeding buttons on the card beneath the needles, and means for feeding lengths of thread between the needles and buttons prior to the descent of the needles, substantially as described.

7. In a button-carding machine, the combination of a card-feeding mechanism and a button feeding mechanism, a pair of needles, means for moving said needles into contact with the buttons and for causing them to perforate the card, means for causing a momentary dwell of the needles in their descentjust as they reach the buttons and for rotating the needles during this dwell until they find the eyes of the buttons, and means for feeding the length of thread before the needles descend.

8. In a button-carding machine, the combination with a card-feeding mechanism and button-feeding mechanism, a reciprocating frame carrying a series of spindles each provided with a pair of needles on its lower end, means for moving said frame to lower the needles into contact with the buttons and to cause them to perforate the cards, means for causing momentary dwell of the needles in their descent when they reach the buttons and for rotating the needles during this dwell until they find the eyes of the buttons, and means for feeding the lengths of thread before the needles descend. Y

9. In a button-carding machine, the combination of a reciprocating pair of needles adapted to sew buttons to the card, and means for lowering the needles to the buttons and causing them to perforate the card; with mechanism whereby the needles are caused to momentarily dwell after they reach the buttons and to partially rotate so as to find the holes in the buttons before they descend and puncture the card, with the thread-twisters below the card adapted to carry that end of the thread brought down by one needle across to the opposite needle after the needles have descended and before they rise, substantially as described.

10. In a button-carding machine, the combination of a card-feeding mechanism and a button-feeding mechanism, a pair of needles, means for moving said needles into contact with the buttons and causing them to perforate the card, means for causing momentary dwell of the needles in their descent and for rotating the needles during this dwell until r they find the eyes of the buttons, and means for feeding the length of thread before the needles descend; with the thread-twisters below the card adapted to carry that end of the thread brought down by one needle across to the opposite needle after the needles have descended and before they rise, substantially as described.

11. In a button-machine, buttoncarding mechanism, comprising a reciprocating slide adapted to move the card forward, a segmental rack pivoted to said slide, a segment meshing with said rack, the card-feeding-wheel shaft, and a segment on said shaft adapted to actuate the segment controlling the slide, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

12. In a button-carding machine. the combinationof a shaft, wheels thereon adapted to feed the cards, mechanism for giving said shaft a step-by-step movement, a reciprocating slide adapted to feed the card forward to said feed-wheels, a spring for retracting said slide, a toothed rack for drawing said slide forward, a segment engaging said rack, a sec ond segment connected with the first segment adapted to engage a segment on the feedwheel shaft, for the purpose and substantially as described.

13. In a button-carding machine, the combination of means for feeding the buttons forward, a slotted block through which the buttons are fed, means for reciprocating said block, and for turning the same hal i over d uring its reciprocation,and a clutch mechanism controlling the actuation of said recirn'ocating means, and adapted to be released by the entry of an inverted button into the block, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

I I. In a button-machine, the combination of means for feeding the buttons, a slotted block through which the buttons are fed, said block being rotatably mounted in a reciprocating support, means adapted to turn the block half over when the support is reciprocated, a shaft for reciprocating said support, a driving-pinion loosely mounted thereon, a clutch for locking the said pinion to the shaft, and a clutch-controlling device adapted to eating needle-frame carrying a series of in-.

tergeared spindles, springs for depressing said spindles in the frame, a pair of needles attached to each spindle, means for depressing said frame to force the needlesthrough the cards, means for momentarily suspending the descent of the needles and for rotating the needles at this movement until they find the eyes ..of the buttons, and means for feeding thread between the needles and buttons prior tothe descent ofv the latter.

16.. In a button machine,.thecombination of meansfor feeding the buttons, a slotted block through which the buttons are fed, said block being rotatably mounted ,ina reciprocating yoke, a ratcheted pinion on one end of the block-shaft adapted to engage a fixed rack and adapted to turn the block half over when the yoke is reciprocated, a crank-shaft for reciprocating said yoke, a driving-pinion loosely mounted thereon, a clutch for locking-the said pinion to the shaft, and a clutch-controlling device adapted to throw the clutch into engagement upon the entry of an inverted button into the slide in theblock, and means for disengaging the clutch and stopping the rotation of the shaft after the yoke has made complete reciprocation, substantially as described.

17. In a button-carding machine, the combination of the card-feeding mechanism, the reciprocating needle-frame carrying a series of intergeared spindles, springs for depressing said spindles in the frame, a pair of needles attached to each spindle and having notches in their lower ends and hooks in their sides near their lower ends, means for depressing said frame to force the needles through the cards, means for momentarily suspending the descent of the needles and for rotating the needles at this movement until they find the eyes of the buttons, and means for feeding thread between the needles and buttons prior to the descent of the latter.

18. In a button-carding machine, the combination of card-feeding mechanism, a reciprocating needle-frame carrying a series of-in tergeared spindles, springs for depressing said spindles in the frame, a pairof needles attached to each spindle, means for depressing said frame to force the needles through the cards, means for momentarily suspending the descent of the needles and for rotating the needles at this movement until they find the eyes of the buttons, and means for feeding thread between the needles and buttons prior to the des'centof the'latter; with means for severing the threads intollengths before the needles descend, and twisters beneath the card adapted to take that end of a thread brought down by one needle and over into engagement with the opposite needle, all substantially as and for the purpose described.

19. In a button-ca rding machine, the combiciprocating needle-frame carrying a series of intergeared spindles, springs for depressing said spindlesin' the frame, a pair of needles attached to eachspindle and having notches in their lower ends and hooks in their sides near their lower ends, means for depressing s 1 ,2 sald frame to force the needles through the cards, means for momentarily suspending the descent of the needles and for rotating the needles at this movement until they find the eyes of the buttons, and means for feeding thread between the needles and buttons prior to the descent of the latter; with means for severing the threads into lengths before the needles descend, and twisters beneath the card adapted to take that end of a thread brought down by one needle and over into engagement with a notch in the opposite needle, all substantially as and for the purpose described.

20. In abuttonecardingmachine,,the combination of a button-feeding device and a threadfeeding device; with a pair of reciprocating needles, adapted to simultaneously pass nation of the card-feeding mechanism, there through opposite eyes of a button, said needles nation of mechanism for feeding cards, mechanism for feeding buttons into position on the card, a reciprocating frame, a ser1es of sp1ndles mounted therein, a palrof needles on the lower end of each spindle adapted to engage the adjacent eyes of the same button, means below'the card for crossing the ends of the threads brought down by the needles below each button, the needle-frames operating 'when the card-feeding mechanisms are at rest.

22. In a button-feeding machine, thecombination of-mechanism for feeding cards forward intermittently, mechanism for feeding a series of buttons in position on the card, a reciprocating frame, a series of spindles mounted therein, a pair of needles on the lower end of' each spindle adapted to engage the ad- -jacent eyes of the same button, means for feeding lengths of thread between the needles and buttons before the needles descend,-and H means below the card forcrossing the ends of the threads brought down by the needles below each button, the needle-frames operating when'the card-feeding mechanisms are at rest.

23. In a buttonefeeding machine, the combination of mechanism for feeding cards, mechanism for feeding buttons into position on the card, a reciprocating frame, a series of spindles mounted therein, a pair of needles on the lower end of each spindle adapted to engage the adjacent eyes of the same button, means below the card for crossing the ends of the threads brought down by the needles below each button, the needle-frames operating when the card-feeding mechanisms are at rest; with means for severing the threads prior to the descent of the needle, means for causing a momentary dwell of the needles after they touch the buttons and for rotating the spindles until the needles find the eyes of the button, and means for returning the thread-crossing devices to normal position after the needles have ascended, all substantially as described.

24. In a button-feeding machine, the combination of mechanism for feeding cards forward intermittently, mechanism for feeding a series of buttons in position on the card, a reciprocating frame, a series of spindles mounted therein, a pair of needles on the lower end of each spindle adapted to engage the adjacent eyes of the same button, means for feeding lengths of thread between the needles and buttons before the needles deseend, and means below the card for crossing the ends of the threads brought down by the needles below each button, the needle-frames operating when the card-feeding mechanisms are at rest; with means for severing threads prior to the descent of the needle, means for causing a momentary dwell of the needles after they touch the buttons and for rotating the spindles until they find the eyes of the button, and means for returning the thread-crossing devices to normal position after the neodles have ascended, all substantially as described.

25. In a button-carding machine, the combination of a reciprocating pair of needles adapted to engage the thread and carry the ends thereof simultaneouslythrough the eyes of a button and through the card, and means for lowering the needles to the buttons and for causing them to perforate the card, with mechanism whereby the needles are caused to momentarily dwell after they reach the buttons and to partially rotate so as to lind the holes in the buttons before they descend and puncture the card, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALBERT J. MEETZ.

In presence of F. W. NEAL, WM. J. PUGH. 

